Technician
tuesday march
13 2012
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
Health Center furthers the campus green movement
daily driver
University Health Center is the first LEED-certified building to result from sustainability efforts.
“green” and sustainable, with little or no scar on the environment, in 38 years. According to the campus sustainability office’s website; “The strategies incorporated into the Student Health Center Addition include rain gardens, reduced impervious surfaces and unAnna Riley derground cistern rainwater capture, reduction Staff Writer of light pollution from exterior light fixtures, As the push to go green increases, N.C. State is and public shower with bicycle racks.” Will Kapherr, mechanical engineering gradutaking great strides in reducing its carbon footate student, said he thinks the University is doprint by building LEED-certified structures. The Student Health Center’s new 23,600 ing its job when it strives for sustainability. “Because [N.C. State] is very involved in the square foot addition that opened in September is the University’s first LEED Gold-certified [green movement], I think it’s kind of expected of us. If we can do something about it we building. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental should,” Kapherr said. Sam Fisher, senior in parks and recreation, Design (LEED) certification system was established by the U.S. Green Building Council (US- agrees with Kapherr. She said the Student GBC) to assess the environmental performance Health Center’s LEED Gold certification is of buildings and work toward entirely sustain- a good part of the effort to reduce its carbon footprint. able designs. “It’s our responsibilAccording to David ity to do something Dean, the outreach about our sustainabila nd com mu nicaity,” Fisher said. tions coordinator Dean said the Stufor the N.C. State dent Health Center’s sustainability office, new addition boasts LEED certification features like rainwater is based on a points collection pools, pubsystem and levels of David Dean, outreach and communications lic showers and natucertification. coordinator for the Office of Sustainability ral sunlight that helped Dean said buildadvance the building ings can earn LEED bronze, silver, gold, or platinum certifications to LEED Gold status. “They might be subtle features that you don’t based on the various steps in the building prosee but they’re there and they make [the differcess and the sustainability features used. N.C. State’s standards for new buildings on ence],” Dean said. Throughout the construction process, Dean campus were established after the chancellor signed a pledge requiring all new structures to said many people from the health center and have a minimum of LEED Silver certification around campus were involved with maintaining high standards of care and service. in 2008. Though a challenging goal, the chancellor is striving for total climate neutrality by 2050. This means our University could be completely green continued page 3
“They might be subtle features that you don’t see, but they’re there and they make [the difference].”
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David Swan, senior in nuclear engineering, fills up his motorcycle at Han-Dee Hugo’s on the corner of Western Boulevard and Dan Allen Drive. “I’ve been riding for about eight years, and this is my daily driver,” Swan said. He became interested in the machines early on, saying “what guy isn’t fascinated by motorcycles when younger?” Swan also has a truck, which is more expensive on gas, but the motorcycle “only gets about the same mileage as a mustang, which isn’t too great.”
Nightwalk shows potential danger spots on campus The annual Nightwalk event, held tonight, is a Student Government initiative to educate students about campus safety after dark. Shawn Thompson Staff Writer
Leanna Osisek/Technician
Landscape Architecture studio students work on a project between Turlington and Owen residence halls on Monday. The landscape design is planned to take place from 2011 to 2015, and aims to integrate ecologic enrichment into campus. The participants have completed the first of five phases, and are presently working on construction of the second phase.
Construction ongoing for Artist’s Backyard The face-lift for the space behind Turlington Hall is continuing with design students. Lindsey Rosenbaum Staff Writer
The sustainable garden separating Turlington and Owen, known as the Artist’s Backyard and Owen’s Refuge, has been undergoing construction to further the purpose of the landscaping. The construction of the Artist’s Backyard began in the spring of 2011, when the Landscaping Architecture Department received a grant from University Housing to build a lowimpact, sustainable social place for students living in Turlington and
Owen. The name of the garden is a reference to Turlington’s Art Village program. Students from the Landscaping Architecture 500 class taught by Andy Fox are helping design and construct the Backyard. “The LA500 class works with housing to transform blighted areas on campus into something beautiful,” David Dean, Outreach and Communications Coordinator for the University Sustainability department, said. Two years ago, the department worked with University Housing to reclaim the areas behind Syme resident hall. The success of their project gave east campus the Syme Rain Garden. Phase I of the project began July 6, and the Artist’s Backyard will be completed in full after five years.
NC State Class Ring
“This project is truly a living and learning opportunity for students on campus,” said Dean. “Hopefully it will be a model to be replicated.” The students spend five weeks in class and studio designing the layout for the garden, and five weeks on the ground, seeing their plans come to life. The Backyard officially opened for residents Aug. 19. The goal of the Artist’s Backyard is to be ecologically friendly, with low impact to its surroundings. Most of the materials used are reusable, including the foliage, which was mostly transported from Tal-
ART continued page 3
The annual Nightwalk event, sponsored by Student Government, will be held tonight from 7:30 to 9 p.m., after several incidents concerning campus safety have been reported during this academic year. Josh Privette, chairman for the Comission on Transportation in Student Government, said Nightwalk is an event students should be paying more attention to this year. “This event is probably one of the most important events that goes on at State every year, yet it is the least attended event. In light of the multiple campus safety events this year, no matter how minor, we want our stu-
dent population to feel safe,” Privette said. During the event, everyone will have the opportunity to become aware of key places on campus that are at the most risk for encountering crime activity. The event will educate students about risks and safety techniques for walking through these locations alone at late hours. “If it’s too late, I’m not comfortable walking alone because of all the incidents that have been reported. I always walk in a group, because of all the recent incidents,” Aishwarya Ravichander, graduate student in electrical engineering, said. Students who participate in the Nightwalk will be divided into groups with Student Government members; they will split up across campus to highlight and address current safety problems.
walk continued page 3
insidetechnician Researchers discover intermediate steps in protein synthesis Monumental changes in the understanding of cells starts small with ribosomes.. See page 7.
N.C. State vs. UNC semifinal marred by controversy Wolfpack seeking respect heading into the NCAA Tournament. See page 8.
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LAST CHANCE TO ORDER! 3/12-3/14 11am to 6pm at NC State Bookstore
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